


Epoch

by ArsenicPanther



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Amusement Parks, Best Friends, Blood and Injury, Child Neglect, Depressed TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Dissociation, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, IRL Fic, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Nightmares, Older Sibling Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Older Siblings Wilber Soot and Technoblade, Parental Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Protective Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Toby Smith | Tubbo, Protective Wilbur Soot, Roller Coasters, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Tommy needs a hug, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Twitch chat is mean, how many tags can i cram in this bitch!, kindof, not expicitly named but it’s there, not really in detail but it’s there, pretend covid doesn’t exist, read the tags yall, sleepy bois inc - Freeform, somewhat graphic description of the aforementioned self harm, there’s only one bed trope but platonic LOL, this shit will give you diabetes, wait why is wilbur spelled wrong in the pre suggested tag lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 08:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29747409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArsenicPanther/pseuds/ArsenicPanther
Summary: Tommy gets overwhelmed and relapses. Luckily, his friends are there for him.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit & Technoblade, Tommyinnit & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 13
Kudos: 823
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER  
> this work is not meant to imply anything about real tommy or his family! i am simply venting. there are somewhat graphic descriptions of self harm in here so be careful with yourselves please.
> 
> also the usernames in the chat segment are completely made up so if you happen to share one i am sorry o_o

103 days.

He’s been clean for 103 days.

Tommy should be proud, probably, but instead he almost feels... disappointed. Yet, the number won’t leave his head. 103 days.

_Why even bother?_

Thoughts like that won’t do him any good, he reminds himself, shaking his head harshly. The past weeks have been filled with more and more of those thoughts, bubbling up like blood in a wound- 

Shit.

He just can’t stop thinking about it. Sure, maybe he’s been getting a bit more hate lately, and he’s been streaming a lot- but that’s a _good_ thing! It’s summer break, after all, so viewership is higher than ever and so is Tommy’s free time. He has no real reason to be upset, no motive to push him to the point of relapse, and yet...

Tommy doesn’t quite know _why_ he wants to hurt himself so badly- he’s been clean for so long, but the number of days displayed on his counter don’t give him any sense of accomplishment like they should. Instead, he just feels mildly sick, body filling with shame when the thought of finally cutting again brings a rush of endorphins with it. Eyes dull with defeat, he plods to the bathroom where he knows his blades are hidden. He hadn’t even had the courage to throw them away after last time, and the thought fills him with a twisted sense of relief.

_I probably deserve this anyway._

Maybe he should be crying, but he can’t seem to summon the emotion to do so even as he raises the blade to his arm. With shaking hands Tommy rips it across his flesh, watching blankly as blood bubbles up and runs down, collecting at his palms. His mind goes empty as he repeats the action several times before moving to the other arm.

The pain is so familiar by now that Tommy isn’t even tempted to cry out from it. Which is kind of fucked up, if he thinks about it, so he’ll just ignore that topic for now. Instead, he looks down, bringing his repetitive motions to a stop as he observes the carnage. It’s... pretty bad this time, and there are many more lines covering his wrists than he’d usually make. 

He takes a shuddering breath in, diverting his attention from his shredded arms to the mess on the floor. There’s splatters of blood already beginning to clot into clumps- Tommy’s face twists with disgust before he grabs a roll of toilet paper and dips a wad of it under the faucet. As he wipes down the tiles, he tries not to look too closely. In some sick way, it’s almost funny how queasy he is at the sight of his own blood once it’s left contact with his skin. 

Once he’s sure there’s no visible traces of blood left on the ground and his arms are clean enough that they won’t stain anything they come into contact with, he flushes the tissue down the toilet and makes his way back to his room, flopping face-first onto his bed. Exhaustion suddenly overwhelms him, and as he falls asleep Tommy thinks this may be one of the only times he’s been _glad_ his parents are never home.

He wakes up an hour later to the telltale ring of an incoming discord call and groans, rolling over to grab his phone and accepting the call without much thought. “Hello?”

Wilbur’s voice crackles through the other end of the receiver. “Tommy!”

“That’s me- what’s up, big man?” 

“The boys and I were wondering if you wanted to join us for a chill stream? We’re just gonna play bedwars or something, Tubbo’s on too.” 

Tommy doesn’t _really_ have the energy to stream right now, but he can practically hear the smile in Wilbur’s voice, so he agrees and throws on a hoodie, smoothing out his hair as he makes his way to his PC. Hopefully the chat won’t notice the bags under his eyes. Greeting the viewers as he starts his stream, he joins the group call from the computer. Techno, Phil, Tubbo, and Wilbur are already connected to the voice channel.

“‘Ello, boys!” Tommy cries. The grin spreading across his face is mostly for the benefit of the audience, but a part of him does feel genuine relief at the chance to talk to his friends.

“TOMMYINNIT!” Wilbur roars, purposely making his voice deeper, drawing a shrieking laugh out of the younger boy before he responds with a cry of “WILBUR SOOT!”

“Hi, Tommy!” Tubbo chirps, Techno and Philza calling out similar greetings. They all quickly join a bedwars server, separated into random teams. Tommy’s lucky enough to be put on the same team as Technoblade, much to the other’s chagrin- the others are all separated onto their own individual groups. Surprisingly, the time seems to fly by, and before they know it over an hour has passed. Another round starts and Tubbo lets out a battle cry, Wilbur shrieking as he’s almost knocked off of the map.

Tommy chuckles, glancing over at his chat only to freeze at a certain cluster of messages.

_**HeliumTy:** why is he streaming so much lately its getting really annoying_   
_**spinalchordz:** :monkaS:_   
_**lollupopped:** jesus christ can he get any louder_   
_**lollupopped:** why do people even like this guy_   
_**MeleWon:** Wtf is up with chat rn?_   
_**kemney234:** hi guys_   
_**MossyFreak:** where are the mods_

He tears his gaze back to the game, letting out a belated cheer when he realizes Technoblade has already destroyed one of the other team’s bed. “Nice one, big man!”

Techno says something in reply that Tommy should _probably_ be laughing at, but his mind is still stuck on the messages he saw a few minutes before. He looks back to the chat, ignoring the little voice in the back of his head telling him not to, only for another sentence to burn itself into his brain.

_**policyj23:** just stop streaming already._

The blonde inhales sharply, glancing to the time displayed at the bottom of the monitor- it’s been almost an hour and a half, a perfectly reasonable length of time for a normal stream, so he looks back up to his webcam, mind made up. 

“Well chat, it’s been fun but I think it’s about time I wrap up this stream.” He smiles, rattling off something about subscribing and primes, before finally pressing the end stream button.

“Well, that was a bit sudden.” Technoblade remarks dryly before muting discord to end his own stream. A few minutes later the group is no longer in front of an audience, opting to chat amongst themselves rather than immediately leave the group call. Tommy is half-listening, fiddling with his sleeve, when his attention is drawn back to his friends by a call of his name.

“Tommy, are you okay? You’ve been a bit quiet.” Phil asks, a small frown visible on his face. Tommy blinks, feigning confusion.

“Of course, I’m a big man after all! Just a bit tired.”

The older man doesn’t press further, simply nodding before returning to the previous conversation. Slipping back into the group’s typical dynamic, Tommy banters with the others even as his hand wanders to rub absently at his wrist. He slides his fingers under the hem of his sleeve, rubbing at a swollen cut and relishing the slight sting that comes with it. It feels... grounding, and he pushes his hand further up his arm, ever careful to keep his sleeve securely at his wrist even as his fingers run over jagged skin.

When Tommy finally pulls his hand down to his desk, his fingers come away sticky with blood. He grimaces, and momentarily forgetting the blinking of the light telling him that his webcam was, in fact, _still on_ , inspects his hand before wiping it on the side of his jeans. The sudden silence in the call is what alerts him to the fact that something is off. Tommy’s eyes widen, face blanching as he jerks his head up to stare at the monitor.

“Uh... You good there, mate?” Phil asks, brow furrowed in concern. Tommy suppresses a flinch, plastering a wide grin across his face.

“Whaddya mean, big man? I’m fine!”

“Tommy, your hand was covered in blood.” Wilbur cuts in, looking vaguely horrified. Tubbo and Techno are deathly quiet, and the only indications to Tommy that they’re still even in the call are their icons, seeming to taunt him as they float on the screen. He can tell that Tubbo still has his webcam on, at least, but he’s suddenly dreading what expression he’ll see on his best friend if he looks up now- so he doesn’t.

“I’m fuckin’ fine, just a bit of a scratch- Fell down and shit earlier, you know how it is.” Tommy insists, voice sounding unusually weak even to himself.

“Tommy that’s not- You don’t bleed that much from a _little scratch_. You’ve been off all day, man, we’re worried about you.” The man Tommy sees as something like a brother presses, and simmering rage suddenly rises in Tommy’s gut.

“Fuck off, alright, I didn’t come here to be fuckin’ interrogated and shit! Can we just go back to playing Minecraft or something?” The blonde snaps, his mouth pressing into the shape of a snarl, shoulders hunched as if it can protect him from his friend’s worried stares. Wilbur is silent for a moment, and, as if suddenly remembering the presence of the others in the call, Tommy’s anger dissolves just as quickly as it rose. Breathing quickly, he curls in on himself a bit, holding back the tears that seem to constantly be trying to escape him these days. He- Tommy doesn’t want them to hate him, but if that’s what it takes to get them to _leave him alone_ , then maybe he deserves to be hated-

Tommy’s suddenly ripped from his spiraling thoughts by the sound of Techno’s voice, tinged with some unreadable emotion.

“Tommy, you’re still bleeding.”

He quickly glances down, and to his growing horror, discovers that Technoblade is _right_. On his right sleeve is a wet stain of red, bright against the baby blue fabric, and as Tommy stares, the pool of blood keeps spreading. He knows somewhere in the back of his mind that he should be worried- he’s _never_ cut this deep before, and the higher amount of blood proves that- but to Tommy, the more pressing issue is what _they’re_ thinking, so he rips his gaze back up to the screen in front of him. Tubbo is pale, mouth covered with one hand as he stares at his best friend. Wilbur’s expression is a mixture of worry and anger, and Phil just looks sad. 

As if prompted by Tommy’s eye contact, Wilbur speaks up. “Tommy, show me your arms.” Tommy is shaking his head before he can even fully process the command, cold terror spreading through his veins at the very thought of them seeing what he did. Wilbur’s expression darkens. _“Now.”_ He snaps, and this time Tommy can’t suppress the flinch that wracks his body. Tubbo makes an aborted movement towards him before stopping, as if trying to reach him through the screen. 

“You don’t have to, Tommy...” Tubbo finally says, voice trailing off when he sees a matching bloodstain growing on the blonde’s other sleeve. _“Tommy-”_ He gasps, gentleness forgotten in the wash of renewed terror he feels at the realization that his friend is even _more_ hurt than it seemed. 

Wilbur and Phil, it seems, have noticed it too, and Phil leans forward slightly. “Tommy, please take off the hoodie. You’re bleeding quite a lot.”

Tommy stares down as he slowly, _slowly_ , grasps the hem of his hoodie and tugs it over his head, finally pulling his arms out of the sleeves. His worst secret exposed to the people whose opinions matter most to him. He doesn’t, _can’t_ look up and meet his ~~family’s~~ friend’s eyes, resigning himself to having to hear rather than see their growing horror. 

“Oh my god, _Tommy_ -” Wilbur breathes, eyes brimming with tears. He swallows, forcefully tamping down his growing anguish before he speaks again. “Do you have a first aid kit with you?” 

Wilbur watches as his little brother looks around slowly before shaking his head in a jerky, robotic motion. Tommy takes a moment to speak again, voice gravelly as tears run down his pale face.

“I think there’s one in the bathroom.”

“Can you go and get it for me?”

Tommy nods and practically scampers away from the computer, disappearing into the darkness of his hallway before coming back with a white box clutched in his hands. He opens the container, and Wilbur can see a package of wet wipes as well as bandages and disinfectant cream. There’s more, but he doesn’t bother to catalogue it in his head now that he knows the supplies Tommy will need are there.

“I’m going to walk you through dressing your wounds, okay?”

Tommy looks slightly startled before nodding. On Wilbur’s command, he wipes the blood from his arms and carefully dabs the cuts with the disinfectant. Wilbur smiles at him, expression deliberately calm- he doesn’t want to panic the kid any more than he already has. “You’re doing so well, Toms, now all you have to do is put on the bandages and you’ll be done.” He praises, watching as Tommy slowly wraps his arms and nodding when the child looks up at him, an _am I doing this right?_ in his expression. Wilbur’s shoulders slump in relief when Tommy’s finally done, the stress of the situation temporarily abated.

Tommy sits in silence, brows furrowed like he’s deliberating over something, before finally opening his mouth. 

“Are you mad at me?” Tommy asks, voice small and trembling. Wilbur’s eyes widen, opening his mouth to reply when Techno suddenly speaks up.

“Why would we be mad at you?” 

His voice is shaking, more emotion in the single sentence than Tommy has ever heard from him before- he sounds like he’s been _crying_ , and Tommy has to stifle a hysterical giggle at the fact that _the_ Technoblade is crying over some pathetic child.

“I-“ He cuts himself off, looking up fearfully.

“Do your parents know?” Phil asks, voice gentle as if he’s trying not to frighten the boy further.

Tommy looks away, nodding, lips pressed together in a thin line. When nobody says anything else, he figures that they want him to elaborate. “They... They don’t- They think I’m doing it for attention. They don’t care.” His voice cracks on a sob. “They don’t care. They think I’m _selfish_.”

“ _Fuck_ what your parents think.” Tubbo hisses, and god, he looks absolutely _livid_ , eyes ablaze with fury on behalf of his friend, who’s been wronged too many times. “They’re full of shit.”

Tommy stares down at his lap. “I mean...”

“Don’t even think about agreeing with them. Tubbo’s right- your parents clearly don’t understand how fucking ignorant they are.” Wilbur blurts, protective anger written in every line of his face. Philza nods in agreement. His expression is troubled, but his eyes are showing nothing but warmth and sympathy towards the young boy.

Techno’s mic unmutes, and he pauses, considering his words, before speaking. “Tommy. Your feelings are valid. Don’t... let them make you think they’re not important.” 

“Wow, which self-help book did you get that out of?” Tommy jokes, cracking a half-smile. 

The man chuckles. “Hey, I’m tryin’ to help you here.”

“I know.” Tommy pauses. “Thank you.”

The peaceful moment is broken by a gasp, before Wilbur exclaims “Did the gremlin child just thank somebody?!”, a mock expression of surprise plastered across his face. 

The group bursts into laughter as the blonde boy indignantly sputters, disjointed swears and weak insults falling from his mouth. Despite that, he’s suddenly smiling, relief blooming in his chest. “Just you wait, bitch, if I was there right now I’d’ve kicked your ass!” Wilbur smiles back at him.

“Well, if you’re so sure, why don’t we arrange another meetup then?”

Tommy blinks. “Uh. Wait, for real?” He watches the older man carefully as he leans back in his chair, his body language a perfect facade of nonchalance.

“Yeah, why not? Invite the whole crew, make a day out of it. God knows you probably need some cheering up.”

Silence stretches on as Tommy processes the offer, before Tubbo takes the opportunity to speak. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Wilbur.” Phil voices a similar message, and even Technoblade hums in agreement. A grin is spreading across Tommy’s face unbidden, and Wilbur’s clearly noticed, if the fond glint in his eye is any indication. Tommy nods.

“When would we meet up, though?”

Wilbur hums thoughtfully. “You’re on break from school, right?” The blonde nods again. “Maybe at the end of next week, then?”

Shuffling can be heard from all sides of the call as each party checks their schedule. After a moment of deliberation, they discover that all of them are free on the following Friday. Even Techno claims to have his schedule open.

“Techno, I hate to break it to you, but you live in America. How are you even gonna get here?” Tommy laughs in disbelief.

“I was already plannin’ to visit for a bit. Just have to bump my flight up sooner.”

Tommy smiles, wide and carefree. “POG!” The call bursts into laughter once again.

When Tommy goes to bed that night, it’s with the assurances of his friends ringing in his ears, and with his heart full of the care they’ve given him.

He can’t wait for next week.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> christ on a cracker this is probably the longest completed creative work ive ever made. took a bit longer than i would’ve liked considering im Fucking Depressed, but here is the long-awaited meetup chapter :)  
> there is a little bit of hurt/comfort because i am an angst goblin but it’s fairly brief.

It’s been two weeks since “The Incident”, as Tommy likes to call it, and the day of the fated SBI meetup has finally arrived. He actually woke up early today, partially due to excitement and partially because he’s been getting more rest than usual. After the disaster of his last Twitch stream, Tommy’s been taking a break, and as loath as he is to admit it his sleep schedule has improved dramatically. Even his wounds have finally healed, leaving pink marks behind- he’s wearing short sleeves still, doubting that any random stranger would bother looking close enough to notice them.

Getting up from the chair in front of his computer, Tommy picks up his red backpack and begins packing things he’ll need for the day. Since they’re going to an amusement park, he packs an extra set of clothes upon Phil’s recommendation, in case they go on any water rides. He also throws his wallet, keys, and a small water bottle into the bag, tucking his phone into his pocket.

Striding downstairs, Tommy pauses near the door. “Dad! I’m ready!” His father nods absently from where he’s working at his computer, getting up and grabbing his car keys as he goes. They’ve decided that Tommy will be dropped off at the train station and meet up with Tubbo and Wilbur when he gets to his destination. From there, they’ll go to the park and meet up with the rest of the group.

When Tommy finally gets off the train, the first thing he does is look around for a certain brunette- even though Tubbo’s train is slated to arrive five minutes after his own, impatient energy is spurring him onward. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Tommy opens his Discord conversation with Tubbo.

_**TommyInnit:** Big Man Has Arrived_  
_**Tubbo_:** i think my trian will be there soon :)_  
_**TommyInnit:** tell the conductor to hurry up_  
_**Tubbo_:** will do 👍_

Huffing out a breath, the blonde pulls up some puzzle game, absentmindedly clicking the colored shapes on his phone before another DM pops up.

_**Tubbo_:** im here!!!!_

He turns around, watching the doors of the newly arrived train like a hawk as people begin to pour out. Finally, Tommy catches sight of his friend, glancing around as he exits the train. He darts forward, ignoring the odd looks as he shouts. “TUBBO!”

“TOMMY!”

Tubbo catches the taller boy in a fierce hug before eventually pulling away. “Did you tell Wilbur we’re here?”

“I’ll do it right now.” He sends the older a DM, quickly getting an “omw” as a response. As they wait, Tubbo and Tommy make idle banter, looking around the station and pointing out random things. Around ten minutes pass before he gets another text from Wilbur, this one declaring that he’s waiting at the front of the station. The boys quickly make their way outside and, seeing Wilbur’s car, approach it. As they get in, Wilbur greets them with a wide smile.

“Tubbo, Tommy! You guys excited?”

“FUCK yeah!” Tommy screams, Tubbo letting out a whoop of happiness. Wilbur chuckles, pulling away from the station and onto the road. The ride goes quickly, the group catching up with each other and what’s been going on since they last met.

Tommy is practically vibrating in excitement when they finally arrive at the amusement park, hopping out of the car the second they’re fully parked. He whirls around to face the car as the other two get out at a much more leisurely pace than him. “Come on! You’re both so slow!”

“Chill out, man, Techno and Phil aren’t going to evaporate.” Wilbur says with mild exasperation as he and Tubbo join the blonde on the pavement.

As the group walks forward, they finally catch sight of Techno and Phil waiting for them near the entrance to the park. It’s a bit jarring seeing Technoblade in person for the first time- he’s a bit taller than Tommy expected and his short hair is most certainly _not_ the bubblegum pink he’d gotten used to imagining it as. Phil turns, waving as he sees them approaching.

“Hello, boys! Had a safe trip?”

Tommy nods along absently as Wilbur speaks to Phil, piping in with his own greeting and receiving a hug from the older man before turning to Techno. He hesitates, unsure- Tommy’s never actually met up with Technoblade before and he’s not sure if a hug would be overstepping some invisible boundary. Luckily, his worries are quickly solved by the man stepping forward and opening his arms slightly. Tommy gladly takes the silent invitation, practically tackling Techno into a tight hug. 

They stay like that for a long moment before Tommy finally steps back, grinning up at Technoblade.

“So you’re not actually a pig? I’m going to be honest with you man, I feel a bit scammed.”

A surprised chuckle escapes from Techno at the abrupt statement. “You, however, are just as much of a gremlin as usual.” Tommy screeches in outrage, starting a retort only to be distracted by Tubbo tugging at his arm and pointing to Wilbur and Phil, who are now standing at the back of the line to enter the park. 

The trio hurries over to them, not wanting to separate the group this early on, and soon enough, they’ve gotten tickets and are inside. Rollercoasters and rides of various shapes tower ahead of them, nearly overwhelming in their color and variety. Tommy’s almost immediately enamored by one of the biggest coasters in his vision, the tracks painted bright red and full of terrifying drops and twists. An excited grin spreads across his face.

“GUYS! Can we go on that one?” He half-shouts, pointing at the ride. The others stare up at it, looking slightly more wary than the blonde.

“I’m... not going on that.” Wilbur says, deadpan. Techno shakes his head.

“Yeah, I think I’m goin’ to stay back here with Wil.”

Tommy scowls at them before turning to Phil. “PHILLLLL! Will you please go on the coaster with me?”

Phil sighs. “Fine. Tubbo, you coming?”

Tubbo hesitates, glancing up at the ride, before nodding. “Hell yeah!” Tommy high-fives him and they head towards the line, leaving their backpacks with Techno and Wilbur. After a few minutes, they finally get to the front of the line and board the roller coaster, Tommy sandwiched between Tubbo and Phil. As the coaster climbs the steep hill at the beginning of the track, he stares around at the rest of the park, trying to see if he can spot Techno and Wil. Finally, he finds them and opens his mouth to point them out, only to be cut off by the sudden drop of the coaster cresting the hill. 

Tommy screams in exhilaration, wind whipping his hair away from his face as they fly over the track. It feels like flying, and he’s suddenly reminded of just how much he loves roller coasters. It feels free. 

He glances back to his friends, Tubbo shrieking in terror and Phil scrunching his eyes closed as the cart continues to twist around the tracks. Laughing loudly, Tommy turns back forwards as the ride finally comes to an end and stops, the group stumbling away from the exit point. Wilbur and Technoblade look up as they return to the bench they’d left the two on.

“How was the ride?” Wilbur asks, scanning their disheveled appearances with visible amusement.

“Awesome!” Tommy cheers, at the same time as Philza replies with “Feckin’ terrible.”

Tommy turns to Tubbo, waiting for his opinion. The brunette finally speaks up after flattening his hair back down. “That was terrifying. But also kind of fun.” Tubbo smiles at Tommy, the blonde returning it with an even more enthusiastic expression. The group lingers for another few moments before beginning to walk away in search of another thing to do. They head down the stone pathway, talking idly amongst themselves.

Tommy lags behind the group slightly as they continue walking. Tubbo turns to Tommy before running off with Wilbur and Phil, saying something about some spinning ride- nothing Tommy’s really interested in.

Glancing around, Tommy doesn’t see anything of particular interest until his eyes land on a dart-throwing booth- or more specifically, on the plush prizes hanging up at the front of it. Right in the center is a large minecraft cow plushie, and at that moment Tommy knows that he will stop at nothing to win that prize. There’s just one problem, though- his throwing aim is utter shit. He frowns, too distracted to take much notice of Technoblade stepping towards the booth.

“One ticket, please.”

Tommy’s gaze snaps toward the older as he patiently listens to the girl at the booth rattle off the usual spiel about what prizes you can get- all five of your darts hitting a balloon, apparently, is the requirement for winning one of the large plushies. Techno simply nods politely, taking the container that she pushes over the counter and pulling out a dart. 

Not wanting to distract the man, Tommy watches in rapt silence as he tosses the dart towards the board, easily popping one of the balloons. _He must’ve had some sort of practice,_ Tommy thinks, because the grace with which he hits the targets is not that of a beginner. Sure enough, the final dart sails into its target just as easily as the last four, the girl behind the counter clapping her hands as she informs Techno of his victory. 

“Wow, that was amazing! You can either select a small and a medium prize, or one of the large prizes! Go ahead and take your pick.” 

Techno hums before pointing at the cow plushie Tommy’d been eyeing. “I’d like one of the cow ones.” 

Tommy frowns slightly at the disappointment curling through him, knowing he probably wouldn’t be able to do the same thing that Techno did. The girl turns and lifts a toy identical to the one hanging in the display off of the shelf behind her, Technoblade thanking her as she hands it to him and bids him farewell. 

Striding over to where Tommy is standing, Techno stops in front of him. Tommy begins to congratulate the older man only to be cut off by the coveted plushie being pressed into his hands. “Wha-” Tommy stutters, brow furrowed in confusion. “Is this for me?”

“I saw you lookin’ at it and figured I’d help you out.” Technoblade says gruffly, not quite making eye contact. Tommy grins widely, childish glee beaming off his features.

“THANK YOU! You’re the best, Techno!” Tommy shouts, bouncing in place as he hugs the toy to his chest. Techno rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

“It’s nothing.”

Tommy shoots the man a grateful smile before turning away. “I can see the others getting off the ride over there, let’s go meet them.” He says, pointing towards the ride that Wilbur, Phil, and Tubbo are exiting, Techno following him towards the trio.

“What’ve you got there, Toms?” Wilbur asks upon seeing the cow plushie wrapped in Tommy’s arms.

“Techno won it for me!” He cries, drawing knowing smiles from Wilbur and Philza, Technoblade attempting for all the world to appear aloof.

“That’s nice, mate. What’re you gonna name it?” Phil asks. Unsurprisingly, Tommy has decided to call it Henry, and declares as much to the group before him. They go on a few more rides before finally calling it quits, too tired to continue. Tubbo and Tommy clamber into Wilbur’s car, Techno getting into Phil’s- they’ve decided to reconvene at Phil’s house and eat dinner before splitting up for the day, so with that in mind Wilbur drives them towards the man’s address.

The car ride is uneventful, Tommy and Tubbo only getting into a few minor squabbles in the backseat where Wilbur’s made them both sit. Soon enough, they’re pulling up at Phil’s house, regrouping with him and Technoblade as they get out of their respective vehicles.

Wilbur glances around as they enter the home. “Where’s Kristin at?”

“Oh- she’s spending the weekend with family.”

Tommy pops his head into the room. “I told you wives weren’t real!” He crows triumphantly, high-fiving Tubbo.

Phil shakes his head fondly. “I knew you’d say that, you little fucker.” He turns to the rest of the group. “You guys okay with pizza?”

One chorus of agreement and about thirty minutes later, the pizza arrives. Phil’s ordered one cheese, one pepperoni, sticking with the basics for the group. As they eat they make idle conversation, hardly noticing as the sky darkens outside. A sudden crack of thunder cuts off their banter, and they turn to see that the slight drizzle outside has turned into a downpour. Tommy blinks at the abrupt change of weather, before glaring down at his phone as it makes a loud noise.

“Looks like we’ve got a flash flood warning, boys.” He says, reading the alert that’s popped up on his screen. Phil frowns.

“Well, that’s not good. Better hope it lightens up soon, I don’t feel great about sending you guys home on your own in this weather.”

It did not lighten up.

Wilbur turns from where he’s been absently staring at the window. “Phil, it’s been an hour already. I’ll be fine, I don’t want to impose on you.”

“None of you are imposing, I invited you here. Besides, Techno’s already staying here for the week, what’s a few more people?” 

Tommy blinks in mild surprise, having been half-listening to the conversation. “Wait, wha...?”

“Well, I’m not about to send you on the trains all alone when it’s getting ready to flood outside, am I? I’ve already texted you and Tubbo’s parents, you guys can stay over for the night.”

“Oh- alright, then. Where are we gonna sleep, though?” Tommy asks, suddenly glad for the change of clothes he brought.

“Well, there’s the guest bedroom and the couch- I’m pretty sure I’ve got an air mattress somewhere around here too.” Phil hums, a thoughtful frown on his face. “That means two people will probably have to take the guest room. Tommy, Tubbo, are you okay with sharing?”

“That’s fine.” Tubbo says. Tommy nods, jabbing him in the shoulder.

“As long as this guy doesn’t get too clingy!” He jokes, prompting an indignant shout from the shorter boy.

“You’re the clingy one, bitch!”

Tommy sticks his tongue out and turns away. “You’ve wounded me, Tubbo.”

“Boys, boys. We all know they call you the clingy duo for a reason.” Wilbur chimes in, laughing as the boys turn to him with matching glares. Phil and Techno watch the argument ensue for a moment before the older finally cuts in.

“You guys want to watch a movie? We’ve still got a few hours to kill.”

“Only if we can watch Up.” Tommy deadpans, turning to face him. 

Wilbur groans in mock distaste. “Again?”

Tommy crosses his arms, turning his nose up. “It’s _my_ mental health day, I get to pick the movie!”

“Fine... you absolute gremlin.”

The group plods over to the living room, Phil and Techno taking the smaller couch while Wilbur, Tommy, and Tubbo cram onto the bigger one. The movie starts up, and Tommy stares at the screen as the lines he’s practically memorized play out.

As the classic flashback scene starts Tommy curls in on himself slightly, suddenly wishing he’d thought to bring a jacket- it’s suddenly chilly in the room, but nobody else seems bothered by it. Then again, he _is_ the only one wearing short sleeves. Eventually, his shivering becomes noticeable enough that Phil looks over from the other couch, brows furrowed in mild concern. “Do you need a blanket, Tommy?”

He shakes his head, forcing his arms back to his sides to hide the fact that he was hugging himself for warmth a moment ago. “‘M fine.” Tommy says, not taking notice of Wilbur, who’s suddenly shifting in his place next to him. A bundle of yellow fabric is pushed into his hands, and he looks up to see a suddenly hoodie-less Wilbur. “Wha-”

“Just put it on, you gremlin child. I can see you shivering.”

Tommy pulls the hoodie over his head, the garment covering his lanky frame- it’s already oversized on Wilbur, but Tommy is practically swimming in the thing. Wilbur makes a grabby-hands gesture towards Philza, who promptly tosses him a throw blanket that had been haphazardly draped over the couch. Unfolding the blanket, the older man spreads it over the laps of the two boys and himself. 

Tommy burrows into the soft fabric, glancing up only to see the others watching him fondly. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it, Toms.” Wilbur says and ruffles his hair, Tommy leaning away with an indignant yell. Tubbo giggles from his other side and reaches out to ruffle his hair too. 

“Phil, Techno, help! I’m being attacked!” 

“You’ll survive.” Phil chuckles, and Tommy swears he sees Technoblade crack a soft smile before turning back to the movie. Surrounded by warmth, Tommy can’t help his eyelids starting to droop as the exhaustion from the busy day finally catches up with him. It’s the third time his head has flopped onto Tubbo’s shoulder when Wilbur finally speaks up. “Guys, I think it’s past the child’s bedtime.” 

Tommy goes to protest, only to be cut off by a loud yawn- he really is more tired than he thought, but he shakes his head, wanting to spend more time with his friends. Eventually he manages to squeak out an “I’m not tired!”, resolutely ignoring the amused looks from the others.

“You can go to bed, Tommy. We’ll still be here in the mornin’.” Techno states, getting up from his seat and offering a hand to Tommy. The boy blinks tiredly, reaching up and allowing Techno to pull him from the couch. 

“Tubbo, Wil, you guys should probably get some rest too. I’m goin’ to bed, I’m bloody exhausted.” Philza sighs, getting up as well. Wilbur nods at him and Tubbo gets up, following Techno as he guides Tommy to the guest room. “Night, everyone.”

“G’night.” Tommy mumbles, Techno patting his shoulder once before leaving the room, Tommy and Tubbo now by themselves. They climb into bed, both of them practically burrowing into the warm covers.

“Night, Tommy.” 

“Mm.. goodnigh’ Tubbo.” Tommy responds, voice partially muffled by the pillow as he drifts off to sleep.

_Tommy wakes up to the blankets being ripped off of him, Tubbo already absent from the bed. When he opens his eyes, he’s met with an angry-looking Wilbur staring down at him. Grabbing the younger by the collar, Wilbur hauls him up and to his feet._

_“Do you know what fucking time it is?”_

_Confused by the sudden aggression, Tommy slowly shakes his head._

_“It’s 1:30. What the **fuck** were you thinking? We’ve been trying to get you up for hours, but apparently being lazy is more important to you than your friends are.”_

_Tommy opens his mouth to protest, only to be interrupted by a harsh yank of his shirt as ~~his brother~~ Wilbur drags him out into the hallway, walking him towards the front entrance of the house. They suddenly come to a stop in the entryway, Wilbur turning Tommy to face him._

_“Honestly, Tommy, I wasn’t going to tell you but if you’re going to disrespect us like this then you should know the truth.” Wilbur looms over him, and Tommy desperately glances over his shoulder only to see the others watching impassively. “We never even fucking liked you.”_

_Ice floods Tommy’s veins._

_“What..?”_

_“The only reason you were even invited on this trip is because we were afraid you were going to hurt yourself or some shit if we didn’t let you come. You’re fucking pathetic, do you know that? You take the one attempt at kindness we gave you and you just throw it away. No wonder so many people say you’re annoying.”_

_Wilbur is still spitting venomous words, but the ringing in Tommy’s ears drown him out as hot tears spill down his cheeks. He looks back to the others, hoping for some sort of help, **anything** , but all he gets is an uncomfortable silence, Technoblade and Philza passively watching the scene unfold while Tubbo avoids the eye contact that his best friend is trying so desperately to make. _

_Tommy tries his hardest to muffle his rising sobs, but a whimper tears itself from his throat anyways, Wilbur’s tirade pausing at the noise._

_“See? This is what I’m talking about. You’re so lost in your self-pity that you can’t even take the time to actually listen to me.”_

_“W-Wilbur, I-”_

_The older man seizes Tommy’s arm in a bruising grip, opening the door with his other hand. “I’m sick of this, Tommy. Get out.” Tommy glances between him and the doorway, eyes wide with disbelief._

_“I- Wait, Wilbur, you can’t just throw me out! This isn’t even your house!”_

_Wilbur fixes him with a cold stare before turning around to make eye contact with Phil. A moment passes, then the blonde man finally speaks up._

_“Go ahead.”_

_Wilbur shoves Tommy forward, ignoring his heartbroken cry, and forces him over the threshold. “Goodbye, Tommy.”_

_The door slams in his face before he can even respond._

He wakes up again to a firm pressure over one of his hands. Blinking his eyes open, he locks gazes with a concerned-looking Tubbo. His hands are clasped around one of Tommy’s as if he was trying to reassure him in his sleep. 

“Are you okay?”

Tommy stares down at their joined hands, unable to look the other boy in the eyes. “I’m alright. Fuckin’ bad dreams, you know how it is.”

Tubbo nods, squeezing his hand before dropping it, adjusting himself so he’s sitting next to the blonde rather than across from him. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Tommy stares down at the bedsheets, contemplating. “What time is it?” Tubbo’s clearly noticed the change of subject, a worried frown returning to his face, but he doesn’t pursue it.

“5:29 AM.”

The blonde boy nods, twisting the blankets between his hands. He can’t stop thinking about the dream, the look on fake-Wilbur’s face burned into the back of his eyelids- every time he blinks, he seems to see it again. The way that everyone had just let it happen is probably the most disturbing part of it all, Tommy thinks. 

Logically, he _knows_ Wilbur doesn’t feel that way about him- the sweatshirt still wrapped around his trembling form is proof enough of that. Still, he can’t help the tears that form in the corners of his eyes, humiliation filling his face with heat as he realizes he’s about to cry in front of his best friend. 

Tubbo places a gentle hand on the other boy’s shoulder. “...Are you sure you’re okay? You’re crying, Tommy.”

Tommy scrubs at his face with the back of his hand before responding. “I just- You guys don’t hate me, do you?” 

“What? Of course not!” Tubbo exclaims, eyes wide. “Is that what your dream was about?” 

Nodding slightly, the younger continues speaking. “It was just, Wilbur was yelling at me and shit, saying all these horrible things, and you guys just... watched. It was like you agreed with him, and then he threw me out of the house.”

The brunette frowns, a sad look crossing his features. “I’m sorry you had such a shitty dream, Tommy. We really do all love you, though. I know we do our bits and stuff, but I think you’re great if that counts for anything.” There’s a pause before Tubbo speaks again. “...Do you want me to get Wilbur for you?”

Tommy jolts, head whipping up to stare at Tubbo. “No no no- He doesn’t- I don’t want to bother him because of a stupid little dream.”

“It’ll probably help, y’know. If you can see that he really cares about you, it might make you feel better.”

“I’m not a little kid, Tubbo. I should be able to cope with these things by myself. I thought I was used to it by now, but apparently-” Tommy cuts himself off with a choked little sob, clutching his knees to his chest as he shakes. Tubbo reaches out, carefully wrapping him in a tight hug.

“I just... I hate to see you sad, Tommy. It’s not weak to ask for help.” Tommy puts his legs down, turning fully into the security of his best friend’s embrace before responding.

“I... I guess you can get him. But if he doesn’t wake up just leave it, okay?”

Tubbo gives Tommy a squeeze before pulling away and swinging his legs off the side of the bed. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He says, getting up and padding out into the hallway, carefully maneuvering around Techno’s air mattress as he enters the living room. “Wilbur?” He whispers, peering at the couch in the semi-darkness. “Are you awake?”

Wilbur shifts before peeking an eye open. “Tubbo? Why are you in here so early?”

The boy shuffles his feet slightly, fiddling with his sleeves as he responds. “Tommy had a nightmare, he’s really upset and um, I thought maybe it would help if he talked to you?”

The older man rubs his forehead in exasperation. “You’re lucky I was already awake. Bring the little shit in here.”

As if on cue, Wilbur hears another set of footsteps enter the room and smirks slightly. “Aw, did little Tommy have a nightmare?” Turning around, he’s fully prepared to start his usual banter with the boy, only for his smile to drop when he sees Tommy’s tear-stained face. “Shit, Toms, are you okay?”

Avoiding eye contact, Tommy shuffles awkwardly in place before stepping forward. He looks even younger than usual, his hair a mess, clutching the cow plushie he’d gotten earlier to his chest. Tubbo walks over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and saying something Wilbur can’t make out before leaving the room. Tommy carefully makes his way to the couch, stepping around the still-sleeping Technoblade’s mattress and sitting down in the space Wilbur has cleared next to him.

“Do you wanna tell me what your dream was about?”

Tommy pulls his knees to his chest. “Wilby,” He finally says, voice unusually small. “When you call me annoying and stuff... Do you mean it?”

The older man’s heart breaks slightly at the hesitance in Tommy’s voice. Reaching out slowly as to not startle him, he places a gentle hand on the younger’s back. “Oh, Tommy... Of course I don’t. You do know that, right?” Tommy frowns, gripping his knees tighter but not leaning away from Wilbur’s touch.

“I mean, you tell me you don’t mean it, but how do I know you’re not just lying to make me feel better? I... I know I’m just some pathetic kid, but you can tell me the truth. I can take it, really.”

“Tommy,” Wilbur begins, a serious look on his face. “Look at me. You’re a wonderful, talented, caring person. I genuinely think you’re one of the funniest people I know, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I see you as a younger brother. I don’t care how many times I have to tell you this, I’ll keep saying it until you believe me.”

Tommy stares at him for a moment before turning away with a wet chuckle. “Thanks, big man. I really needed to hear that.”

“Anytime.” Wilbur says, sincerity lacing his tone. “Now, do you want to talk about that dream of yours?”

Nodding slowly, Tommy hesitates before he starts speaking, fiddling with the fur of his plushie as he describes his dream to the other. Wilbur allows him to speak, waiting patiently through his momentary pauses and stutters. When he’s done, Wilbur opens his arms, a nonverbal invitation that Tommy gladly takes, practically crashing into the embrace. Wrapping his arms around the boy, Wilbur murmurs reassurances into the blonde’s hair as he cries quietly in his hold. 

When Tommy’s sobs finally slow in frequency and subside, Wilbur leans back slightly, shifting to grab his phone. “I heard distractions can help with this kind of stuff- Any chance you want to see a minecraft video?” Tommy laughs quietly, nodding, and Wilbur pulls up YouTube on his phone before handing it to Tommy. “You can pick.”

Tommy scrolls for a moment before settling on one of Dream’s older manhunt videos, handing the phone back to Wilbur who holds it between them so they both have an equal view of the screen. It only takes about half of the video before Tommy is slumped into Wilbur’s side, snoring quietly. Wilbur smiles, fondness flooding his heart before he pulls the couch’s blanket back over the both of them.

When the next morning finally arrives, Tommy is woken by the sound of muffled voices. He’s wrapped in warmth and the feeling of safety surrounds him on all sides. Someone shakes his shoulder and he tries to scoot away, not wanting to get up yet- it’s warm, and he’s comfortable. Tommy whines in protest when they tap him again, burrowing his head farther into his pillow, only to jolt when it rumbles with a laugh. 

That’s not a pillow.

Suddenly awake, he jerks his head up and looks around frantically, face flushing with embarrassment as he realizes he’s clinging to Wilbur. The other Sleepy Bois are standing nearby with varying looks of amusement on their faces. Technoblade in particular looks like he’s just found a goldmine, and as Tommy stares at him he slowly brings up his phone and snaps a picture.

“Oi!” Tommy yelps, jumping up from the couch. “Gimme that, you dickhead!”

“Bold of you to assume you can catch me.” Techno laughs before running from the room, Tommy hot on his heels. As Wilbur and Philza laugh at the other two’s antics, Tubbo meanders into the room, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

“Why’re Tommy and Techno stampeding through the house?” He asks, blinking at them. Phil pulls out his phone and walks over to Tubbo, showing him his own photo of Tommy and Wilbur that he’d taken before waking them. Tubbo brings his hands up to his face, bouncing in excitement. “Awww! Can you send that to me?” 

“Sure, mate.” Phil nods, Tubbo clapping his hands and thanking him before exiting the room again, no doubt in search of the duo still running through the house. Phil turns back to Wilbur. “So... what was Tommy doing out here?”

“Gremlin had a nightmare. Tubbo came and woke me up for him- I wasn’t sleeping that well anyway, so it didn’t bother me much.”

Frowning slightly, Phil nods. “He’s okay now, right?”

Wilbur picks up the cow plushie that Tommy’s left on the couch and stands up. “Yep! I’m gonna go track him down now so he can have this back.” He goes to leave, pausing as Phil speaks up again.

“That’s good- oh, and can you tell them I’m making breakfast? It’s waffles.”

Wilbur shoots the older man a thumbs up before walking from the room, heading towards the noises of a certain child’s shouts. As he enters the room, Wilbur’s met with the sight of an annoyed Tommy trying to grab a phone from Techno’s hands, the latter holding it above his head and leaning away from the blonde. Wilbur clears his throat, alerting the others to his presence, and Tommy turns towards him with an imploring expression.

“Wilby, tell him to give me the phone!”

Wilbur blinks. “Did you just call me Wilby again?” 

Tommy scowls, face red. “I DID NOT!” Wilbur just nods, an amused smirk on his face, before he changes the subject.

“Phil says he’s making waffles, so you guys might want to get out here.”

“Ooh, waffles!” Tubbo shouts, racing from the room with Tommy on his heels. Technoblade follows at a much slower pace, a smug look on his face as he realizes the distraction has allowed him to keep the photo of his ~~brothers~~ friends. As the four of them enter the kitchen, they’re greeted by the smell of breakfast cooking. Wilbur smiles, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.

“So, Phil, you can cook?”

“Of course I can, believe it or not, I’m a fully functional adult.” Phil responds, rolling his eyes in exaggerated annoyance. He turns to the group, smiling slightly. “You guys can sit at the counter, there’s enough stools for all of us. Breakfast is almost done.” The boys sit at the counter, thanking Phil when he sets down a plate piled high with waffles in the middle of them. “Go ahead and take some.”

Once they’ve all been fed, it’s time for them to leave. Tommy frowns, not wanting to be alone again- but just as his thoughts start to spiral Phil claps him on the shoulder, smiling kindly at him. “Don’t worry, Toms. Techno will be here all week, so he’ll be able to stream with us, if you want- and you know you can always talk to any of us. We’ll be seeing each other again before you know it.”

Tommy sniffs, rubbing his eyes before looking back to Phil. “Of course, big man. Thanks for everything.”

“No problem, kiddo. I had fun.” The man responds, giving Tommy a reassuring hug before letting go. “I’ll let you say goodbye to Techno now.”

The boy turns to Technoblade, who’s just finished saying his goodbyes to Tubbo and Wil, smiling slightly. “Thanks for the cow, Blade.” 

“You’re welcome, Tommy.” Techno says blandly, jolting slightly in surprise when Tommy suddenly hugs him. After a moment he relaxes, wrapping his arms around the smaller form. “Love ya, kid.” He almost mumbles into the blonde’s hair. 

Tommy just holds him tighter before responding, voice muffled in Techno’s shoulder. “Love you too.” He pulls away. “Ha! I knew you cared.”

Techno rolls his eyes. “Of course I care. Don’t you have somewhere to be?” He mimes shooing Tommy towards the door, the younger giggling as he walks away.

“Bye, guys!” 

The group calls their final goodbyes to each other before Tommy and Tubbo pile into Wilbur’s car, driving back to the station. When they arrive Wilbur twists around in the front seat, awkwardly hugging both boys before they exit the car. Tommy pauses before getting out, grasping at the hem of the yellow hoodie that he’s still wearing. “Guess I should probably give this back now.” He says, beginning to take off the sweatshirt only to be stopped by Wilbur.

”Keep it, I have plenty.”

Tommy hesitates, a wobbly smile spreading across his face. “Wait, really?”

”Of course.” Wilbur says, shooing him out of the car. “Have a safe ride!” He calls as Tommy and Tubbo walk away, the duo shouting their own affirmations and farewells as they enter the station. Tommy’s train arrives first, and Tubbo gives him a quick hug before they part ways.

“See ya later, big man!” He calls, waving as Tommy boards the train. Tommy waves back, grinning at his friend until the train pulls away. He sits down, placing his backpack on his lap and hugging it to his chest. It’s funny... even though he’s just left, he still feels that warmth and security that his friends gave him. He pulls out his phone, fiddling with it when he sees a new message.

_**WilburSoot:** miss you already, gremlin. ily_

Tommy smiles widely to himself, reading the message over. _Yeah_ , he thinks, _I’m going to be okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the most unrealistic part of this was when none of them got lost at the amusement park  
> also tubbo’s typo near the beginning was intentional, i’ll cry if you correct me  
> ALSO THANK YIU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS snjslgm i very appreciate it

**Author's Note:**

> hey.... how y’all doing......  
> this is a lot better written than my other fics even though it’s kind of Weird lmfao. i might add a fluff part 2 which described their meetup, whenever i get around to it. but as it is this chapter can stand alone as a one shot;


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